Varaha Purana 97.3: Adhyaya 97, Shloka 3

The Glory of Rudra: The Origin of the Kapālamocana Pilgrimage Site and Rudra’s Expiatory Vow

Devanagari script

तदा कौतूहलाद्ब्रह्मा स्कन्धे तं जगृहे प्रभुः ॥ स्कन्धारूढस्तदा रुद्रो ब्रह्मणोऽव्यक्तजन्मनः ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 97.3

Transliteration

tadā kautūhalād brahmā skandhe taṃ jagṛhe prabhuḥ || skandhārūḍhas tadā rudro brahmaṇo'vyaktajanmanaḥ ||

Translation

Noon, dahil sa pag-uusisa, si Brahmā na Panginoon ay isinakay siya sa kaniyang balikat. Sa panahong iyon, si Rudra ay nakaupo sa balikat ni Brahmā, na ang kapanganakan ay sinasabing di-nahahayag (avyakta).

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Word by Word

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (then)

• kautūhalāt: out of curiosity
• kautūhalāt: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kautūhala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (ablative of cause)

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• skandhe: on (his) shoulder
• skandhe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: skandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• jagṛhe: took, seized
• jagṛhe: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: grah (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• prabhuḥ: the lord
• prabhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ब्रह्मणः विशेषण/उपपद

• skandhārūḍhaḥ: mounted on the shoulder
• skandhārūḍhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: skandha + ārūḍha (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—स्कन्धे आरूढः; ‘ārūḍha’ = भूतकृदन्त (PPP) from ā+ruh

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (then)

• rudraḥ: Rudra
• rudraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• brahmaṇaḥ: of Brahmā
• brahmaṇaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of Brahmā)

• avyaktajanmanaḥ: whose birth is unmanifest
• avyaktajanmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-vyakta + janman (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—अव्यक्तं जन्म यस्य (whose birth is unmanifest); ब्रह्मणः विशेषणम्

Speaker

Varāha

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Mythology
• Sanskrit Narrative

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

Such episodes illustrate Purāṇic narrative strategies for expressing hierarchy, intimacy, and the paradox of manifestation (avyakta) in cosmogonic storytelling.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is referenced.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse is narrative-descriptive; it does not state an ethical rule, but it frames curiosity and interaction among cosmic agents as part of creation lore.